Solstice Royal Suite 1238 -- June 3, Alaska

[Midnight Blue]

[Please note -- typo in the title. Suite number was 1239!]

 

 

There have been several very comprehensive reviews of the Solstice in the past few months, including one that's just been started by a fellow cruiser on the same June 3 sailing I was on. So I'm not going to retread ground that others are covering far better than I could -- instead, I'm going to just note some odds and ends, particularly some points relating to the Royal Suite we had on this cruise.

 

If any of that sounds like it might be of interest to you, please sit back, relax, and read on!

Edited June 13, 2016 by Midnight Blue

[Midnight Blue]

I've had the pleasure of almost always sailing in suites. Prior to this cruise, I enjoyed a Penthouse and then a Garden Villa on NCL. So you might imagine I couldn't help but compare the suite experience between NCL and X.

 

Let me say that I really loved Solstice. She is a gorgeous ship, much more refined and less gaudy than the NCL ships I've been on (Pride of America and Jade). I would gladly said her or any of the other Solstice class ships again (and probably will). But I think X could easily (and pretty inexpensively) up its game around communicating suite amenities.

 

X definitely came out on top in terms of the perks -- the unlimited specialty dining, unlimited wireless and the premium drink packages were wonderful (and were not included on NCL when I sailed a couple of years ago in the Garden Villa).

 

Check in on X in Seattle.... I was glad to stand in a shorter line to check in, but it wasn't much of a "Modern Luxury" experience. (On NCL, I was escorted to a separate lounge for check in). The escort onto the ship and the champagne greeting were very nice, however, and Michael's Club was lovely. Unfortunately, though, it was a bit understaffed, and there wasn't anyone available to answer questions. My partner and I finally took matters into our own hands and (thanks to Cruise Critic!) knew we could go to lunch in Luminae, which we did.

 

I think that would be my biggest suggestion to X -- please find a way to let your Royal and Penthouse Suite guests know what "extras" are available to them and how to use them, if they choose. For example -- when we would return to the ship, we saw a red carpet and a sign that said something like "VIP, Suite Guests, and Zenith members." But we weren't sure if we could use the line or what benefit it would give us. (Cut us to the front of the line to get back on the ship?). On NCL, we were clearly told that when the ship docked, we could be escorted to the front of the departure line. It seemed that service was offered on X as well, but it wasn't clear. (Please hear me-- I am not having a "do you know who I am" moment here, or advocating the service should be offered. I know many people wouldn't take advantage of such a service. I wouldn't always do it, either. But if it's an option for a suite guest, it would seem to be a good idea for X to communicate that the option is there and then the guest can decide if he/she is comfortable taking advantage of it.)

[Midnight Blue]

The "what does a butler do" conversation is one that is sure to generate healthy....discussion...here on Cruise Critic. I generally find myself in the middle of the pack on the butler question: neither a person horrified by the idea that someone would actually do things for me nor one who hands her butler a 20 point list of things to do on day 1 of the cruise. On this particular cruise, my butler was fine but not spectacular. What would have made him spectacular? If he had proactively checked in with me, say once in the morning or once in the evening to see if I had anything planned or knew that I needed something for the day. It also would have been nice if he had inquired whether we needed any reservations.

 

Enough about that. I know many people would be just fine with the butler leaving them alone. What the butler should do is probably something that there will never be a consensus on....

[Midnight Blue]

Loved this suite. It was on Deck 10 (so why is it Suite 1239 and not 1039? Doesn't matter, but I found it confusing.:p). It was midship, just off the Library and very close to an elevator bank. Very quiet -- no noise issues at all.

 

Decor was lovely. It was very comfortable, with a large living area, dining table, extended wet bar, guest bathroom, bedroom, bathroom, large balcony (table, 2 chairs, 1 chaise, jacuzzi tub). There was a large walk in closet in the bedroom and a smaller closet in the living area (which my partner took, giving me the whole walk in -- thanks, sweetie!). The main bathroom had 2 sinks, a large jacuzzi tub and a glass shower. The bed was comfortable and our request for extra pillows was quickly answered.

 

The electrical outlet situation, however, left something to be desired. Someone else had posted on CC that there are outlets by each side of the bed -- not so in Suite 1239 on Solstice. There was an outlet in the small desk area in the bedroom, one in the bathroom, one in the living area and one in the wet bar area. Which I acknowledge is a lot of outlets for a cruise ship cabin -- but if you're counting on one near the bed (for example, if you have a CPAP machine or the like), no such luck.

 

The AC worked very well. Since both my partner and I like to sleep in a very cool room, that was great.

 

Bring something to clip the curtains closed. On the Alaska itinerary, it's not unusual to have sun rise at 3:45 am and sunset at 10:30 pm (and that won't be full dark). You're going to want to close those curtains as much as you can in order to sleep.

 

The wet bar area had two refrigerators -- one with an opaque door (like a regular small refrigerator) and one with a glass door (what I would think of as a beverage refrigerator). Both were well stocked with our drinks of choice. I loved that the ship served canned soft drinks everywhere (in my case, Diet Coke). I've been on too many ships where they served fountain beverages that were more soda than flavor. And by the way -- they do have caffeine free Diet Coke! Go, X!!!

 

Everything in the room was in good repair. There were lots of hangers in the closets.

 

Our cabin steward team was really excellent. If we came back to the cabin before they finished cleaning, we would always just slip away to the Library to give them room to finish -- and somehow, they figured out that's what we were doing and would come by and let us know when they were finished so we wouldn't wait longer than necessary. They left us a handwritten thank you note on the last night before we left. I thought that was truly nice, and it was something I had never experienced on any other ship.

 

One odd (to me) thing -- there were no pool towels in the room to use with the balcony jacuzzi. I just swiped a couple from the pool area, but it would be nice to have a couple already available in the room.

[Midnight Blue]

Last post for me this evening, but I can't stop before I comment on the food.

 

First of all, to me...it's a cruise ship, not a Michelin starred restaurant. I get that and I'm good with it. And overall, I thought the food on X was not bad at all. I also had to deal with the fact that I'm a Type 2 diabetic who follows a fairly strict low-carb diet. Even so, I was always able to find something I could eat.

 

Let me start by saying I'm not as much of a fan of Luminae as some folks are. It was fine, but as someone trying to eat low carb, Luminae's menu presented a challenge, even with their willingness to change things for me. Breakfast was the hardest/worst for me, but that's generally true as I'm not a huge fan of eggs. Kudos to Luminae's staff -- when I asked if it would be possible to get plain Greek yogurt (definitely not on the menu), they quickly brought me a dish (they use it to make the smoothies). And when I asked for a grilled hamburger patty (yep, for breakfast), while they couldn't get it for me that day (none were defrosted), the next day, one was defrosted and ready to be cooked for me. The really nice thing about Luminae was that it was never crowded, so it was a very pleasant dining venue.

 

We went to 2 specialty restaurants -- Murano and Tuscan. Of the two, I liked Tuscan better, in part because it was easier to find things in keeping with my diet there. The only really bad dining experience I had was in Murano near the end of the cruise. I ordered the sea bass (Branzino). Big mistake, one that I knew better than to make. Branzino is a mild flavored fish that I've eaten a number of times and enjoyed. But if the fish has been stored frozen too long and not cooked very carefully, a layer of muscle under the skin turns to...how can I say it...brown sludgy looking stuff that has a very strong fishy flavor. Yuck. I knew better than to order fish late in a cruise, especially one that needs to be cooked carefully, but I did it anyway and regretted it hugely. To their credit, the staff in Murano were very concerned that I wasn't happy and offered to get me another entree or do anything to fix the problem. I really appreciated that-- in the end, though, I just wasn't hungry anymore. So kudos to them for trying to make it right and a good reminder for me to stick to less tricky dishes when on a cruise.

 

I actually ended up eating a fair number of meals in...wait for it...the buffet. I know, I know -- the horror of it all! But the buffet worked well for me. I could get a big salad with exactly what I wanted on it, along with a hamburger patty, chicken breast or other protein. And they had this phenomenal drink -- it was plain soda water, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh mint sprigs and agave nectar. I had them leave out the agave nectar and just added my own diabetic friendly liquid sweetener that I carry with me -- really an excellent drink! I generally don't like cruise ship buffets, in no small measure because I find them physically unpleasant places to eat -- too gaudy, too noisy, with tables full of dirty dishes. On Solstice, the staff did a great job of keeping the tables cleaned up and the area was pretty comfortable and attractive.

 

I'll close this post (and my comments tonight) with a word on Cafe al Bacio. The word is... AWESOME. My partner and I went there every night at the very least. It was seldom crowded and we usually got a table by the window. Comfy, cushy chairs...a great place to watch the ship go by or to read a book. This is where I abandoned my food plan from time to time, as the complimentary pastries were really pretty good. My partner swears by the Aspen coffee. I was so happy to find 3 different beverages that worked for me -- a great selection of Tea Forte (which I love); the cafe shakerrato (cold espresso and heavy cream in a martini glass, unsweetened so that I could add my own appropriate sweetener); and the cafe Americano. The server that almost always helped us learned to bring me heavy cream for the tea and cafe Americano so as reported earlier, heavy cream is definitely available for you low carb folks out there!

 

That's it for tonight -- I'll spend most of tomorrow getting home to Houston, but will return to this post to answer any questions and likely to add on some more bits and pieces.

 

Solstice, I miss you!

[Project_gal]

The electrical outlet situation, however, left something to be desired. Someone else had posted on CC that there are outlets by each side of the bed -- not so in Suite 1239 on Solstice. There was an outlet in the small desk area in the bedroom, one in the bathroom, one in the living area and one in the wet bar area. Which I acknowledge is a lot of outlets for a cruise ship cabin -- but if you're counting on one near the bed (for example, if you have a CPAP machine or the like), no such luck.

 

This is the only complaint I have about the S-class PH. If I wish to dry my hair and not wake my husband whilst he still sleeping in the bedroom their is no suitable power point close to a mirror. There are enough mirrors and enough power points but they only coincide at the vanity unit in the bedroom.

[chemmo]

Just a little reassurance in case anyone reads this and does need a plug by the bed for medical equipment. Your room attendant will run an extension cable from the writing desk. This will be taped down and mainly hidden by the window so not dangerous or an eyesore. We have done this twice in RS now with no issues. If you fill out the special needs section they will sort out an extension and distilled water for you...I would also add this is available in all room categories.

 

Midnight Blue, so glad you are enjoying your cruise, we have enjoyed cruising on Solstice twice now. Sorry to hear about your experience in Murano's. We dined there a couple of times last cruise, they even cooked us an off menu 'Steak Diane' when I mentioned it was my favourite dish. The aroma of the sauce cooking table side was amazing!

 

Project gal, had to laugh at your post...a bathroom big enough to tango in and nowhere to dry your hair! I will remember that when we try out the S class PH next year!

[Project_gal]

Project gal, had to laugh at your post...a bathroom big enough to tango in and nowhere to dry your hair! I will remember that when we try out the S class PH next year!

 

I know, it is ridiculous. Clearly designed by a man!

[Midnight Blue]

Just a little reassurance in case anyone reads this and does need a plug by the bed for medical equipment. Your room attendant will run an extension cable from the writing desk. This will be taped down and mainly hidden by the window so not dangerous or an eyesore. We have done this twice in RS now with no issues. If you fill out the special needs section they will sort out an extension and distilled water for you...I would also add this is available in all room categories.

 

Midnight Blue, so glad you are enjoying your cruise, we have enjoyed cruising on Solstice twice now. Sorry to hear about your experience in Murano's. We dined there a couple of times last cruise, they even cooked us an off menu 'Steak Diane' when I mentioned it was my favourite dish. The aroma of the sauce cooking table side was amazing!

 

Thanks for the additional info on extension cords -- very helpful.

 

You know, it's odd how hit or miss the experience can be in the specialty restaurants (something X could definitely work on). You had wait staff in Murano who were willing to prepare a completely off menu dish. On the first night we went to Murano (we went there twice), I asked for the salad to be served with blue cheese dressing rather than the planned vinegrette. (Vinegrette can be tricky and hide a lot of carbs in the sugar used -- blue cheese dressing, while high fat, is reliably very low carb and for me, fat is not the enemy -- carbs are!). When I asked for blue cheese, the waiter took a long pause, looked at me like I was crazy and said in an unbelieving tone, "Blue cheese???" I said, "Yes, please. I can't eat the vinegrette." Right or wrong, I just hate being a "special snowflake" about my eating, so after that reaction, I was hesitant to ask for anything different in the specialty restaurants. Honestly, this may have been a case of a bit of a language and culture barrier -- the waiter may not have intended to convey the message I heard. Or if he did, it may very well be that another waiter would have had a completely different reaction. But what happened, happened, and it did discourage me from asking for accommodations in specialty dining.

[Midnight Blue]

We didn't go to all of the shows/presentations, but here are my thoughts on the ones I did see.

 

Brent Nixon -- we saw all of his presentations except for one and thoroughly enjoyed them all. Believe what you read here-- it's definitely worth the time to see him. I was surprised at how empty the theater was for his talks.

 

Miss Amanda -- I agree with those here on CC who say she's good, but a little hokey and not as good as Brent. I mostly watched bits and pieces of her talks on the "on demand" channel of our stateroom television while I did other things.

 

Amade-- this is the Cirque du Soleil type show presented on the last full day of the cruise. It's not full on Cirque quality (and that shouldn't be expected) but I thought it was very enjoyable. There are two afternoon shows available -- I went to the 3:15 pm show and it wasn't full at all.

 

Others have complained about the proliferation of shopping and of being pushed to buy things. There certainly were lots of sales every day, but I found it very easy to avoid the shopping throngs if I wanted to do so.

[chemmo]

 

You know, it's odd how hit or miss the experience can be in the specialty restaurants (something X could definitely work on). You had wait staff in Murano who were willing to prepare a completely off menu dish. On the first night we went to Murano (we went there twice), I asked for the salad to be served with blue cheese dressing rather than the planned vinegrette. (Vinegrette can be tricky and hide a lot of carbs in the sugar used -- blue cheese dressing, while high fat, is reliably very low carb and for me, fat is not the enemy -- carbs are!). When I asked for blue cheese, the waiter took a long pause, looked at me like I was crazy and said in an unbelieving tone, "Blue cheese???" I said, "Yes, please. I can't eat the vinegrette." Right or wrong, I just hate being a "special snowflake" about my eating, so after that reaction, I was hesitant to ask for anything different in the specialty restaurants. Honestly, this may have been a case of a bit of a language and culture barrier -- the waiter may not have intended to convey the message I heard. Or if he did, it may very well be that another waiter would have had a completely different reaction. But what happened, happened, and it did discourage me from asking for accommodations in specialty dining.

 

Know exactly what you mean....if you look at a menu and need a variation either through taste preference or dietary need you want the response to be "no problem".

 

It doesn't matter what restaurant you are in MDR, speciality, Luminae or MacDonalds! That is the response you want and should get. That is the response that defines service.

 

Don't be put off by your last experience, we have had some truly memorable meals in Murano's.

 

Sincere best wishes for your cruise!

[stewartmamone1]

Last post for me this evening, but I can't stop before I comment on the food.

 

First of all, to me...it's a cruise ship, not a Michelin starred restaurant. I get that and I'm good with it. And overall, I thought the food on X was not bad at all. I also had to deal with the fact that I'm a Type 2 diabetic who follows a fairly strict low-carb diet. Even so, I was always able to find something I could eat.

 

Let me start by saying I'm not as much of a fan of Luminae as some folks are. It was fine, but as someone trying to eat low carb, Luminae's menu presented a challenge, even with their willingness to change things for me. Breakfast was the hardest/worst for me, but that's generally true as I'm not a huge fan of eggs. Kudos to Luminae's staff -- when I asked if it would be possible to get plain Greek yogurt (definitely not on the menu), they quickly brought me a dish (they use it to make the smoothies). And when I asked for a grilled hamburger patty (yep, for breakfast), while they couldn't get it for me that day (none were defrosted), the next day, one was defrosted and ready to be cooked for me. The really nice thing about Luminae was that it was never crowded, so it was a very pleasant dining venue.

 

We went to 2 specialty restaurants -- Murano and Tuscan. Of the two, I liked Tuscan better, in part because it was easier to find things in keeping with my diet there. The only really bad dining experience I had was in Murano near the end of the cruise. I ordered the sea bass (Branzino). Big mistake, one that I knew better than to make. Branzino is a mild flavored fish that I've eaten a number of times and enjoyed. But if the fish has been stored frozen too long and not cooked very carefully, a layer of muscle under the skin turns to...how can I say it...brown sludgy looking stuff that has a very strong fishy flavor. Yuck. I knew better than to order fish late in a cruise, especially one that needs to be cooked carefully, but I did it anyway and regretted it hugely. To their credit, the staff in Murano were very concerned that I wasn't happy and offered to get me another entree or do anything to fix the problem. I really appreciated that-- in the end, though, I just wasn't hungry anymore. So kudos to them for trying to make it right and a good reminder for me to stick to less tricky dishes when on a cruise.

 

I actually ended up eating a fair number of meals in...wait for it...the buffet. I know, I know -- the horror of it all! But the buffet worked well for me. I could get a big salad with exactly what I wanted on it, along with a hamburger patty, chicken breast or other protein. And they had this phenomenal drink -- it was plain soda water, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh mint sprigs and agave nectar. I had them leave out the agave nectar and just added my own diabetic friendly liquid sweetener that I carry with me -- really an excellent drink! I generally don't like cruise ship buffets, in no small measure because I find them physically unpleasant places to eat -- too gaudy, too noisy, with tables full of dirty dishes. On Solstice, the staff did a great job of keeping the tables cleaned up and the area was pretty comfortable and attractive.

 

I'll close this post (and my comments tonight) with a word on Cafe al Bacio. The word is... AWESOME. My partner and I went there every night at the very least. It was seldom crowded and we usually got a table by the window. Comfy, cushy chairs...a great place to watch the ship go by or to read a book. This is where I abandoned my food plan from time to time, as the complimentary pastries were really pretty good. My partner swears by the Aspen coffee. I was so happy to find 3 different beverages that worked for me -- a great selection of Tea Forte (which I love); the cafe shakerrato (cold espresso and heavy cream in a martini glass, unsweetened so that I could add my own appropriate sweetener); and the cafe Americano. The server that almost always helped us learned to bring me heavy cream for the tea and cafe Americano so as reported earlier, heavy cream is definitely available for you low carb folks out there!

 

That's it for tonight -- I'll spend most of tomorrow getting home to Houston, but will return to this post to answer any questions and likely to add on some more bits and pieces.

 

Solstice, I miss you!

 

Midnight Blue,

 

Thanks a bunch for posting this wonderful post. I'm on the Solstice on September 9, 2016 in this very same Suite. So I'm very thankful to hear about this suite. Also I noticed that you indicated there was a Jacuzzi in this Suite, is this correct? I originally had booked the Penthouse I canceled and booked this suite. Any other tips regarding this room or ship you can share would be really helpful!

 

Sandra

[Midnight Blue]

Midnight Blue,

 

Thanks a bunch for posting this wonderful post. I'm on the Solstice on September 9, 2016 in this very same Suite. So I'm very thankful to hear about this suite. Also I noticed that you indicated there was a Jacuzzi in this Suite, is this correct? I originally had booked the Penthouse I canceled and booked this suite. Any other tips regarding this room or ship you can share would be really helpful!

 

Sandra

 

Yes, there is a jacuzzi on the balcony, big enough for 2 (if you're willing to be a little cozy). Also a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom.

 

The location of this suite is terrific -- just off of the Library, with a bank of elevators to hand. It was also very quiet.

 

Lots of storage. My partner gave me the big closet in the bedroom (thanks, sweetheart!) and took a wardrobe type closet in the living room area. It was actually pretty big. There were plenty of drawers, shelves, etc. No issues with that!

 

Don't miss out on Cafe al Baccio -- open until 1 am. Your coffee drinks should be included as you're in a Royal Suite and pastries are included for all. Fantastic way to end the day.

 

I didn't discover the Sky Lounge (I think that's what it was called) until near the end of the cruise, but it's a great place to watch for whales and Dahl's porpoises.

 

If you like to work out in a gym, there are lots of treadmills looking out of floor to ceiling windows. It makes exercising almost a pleasure. (Almost!)

 

Definitely check out the "ant room" -- you'll go through it on your way to Michael's Club. Extremely cool. You'll see what I mean.

 

Most of all, enjoy your cruise. Solstice is a lovely ship -- I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time!

[stewartmamone1]

Midnight Blue

 

Thanks for responding back so quickly. Thanks for providing more details especially since this is the same room that I'm in. If I have more questions will you be okay with that.

 

Sandra

[Midnight Blue]

Midnight Blue

 

Thanks for responding back so quickly. Thanks for providing more details especially since this is the same room that I'm in. If I have more questions will you be okay with that.

 

Sandra

 

Happy to answer your questions if I can! It's a wonderful suite-- you'll have a great cruise.

[Clarea]

Enjoyed the review, thanks.

[Amtrac]

Midnight Blue

 

Thanks for responding back so quickly. Thanks for providing more details especially since this is the same room that I'm in. If I have more questions will you be okay with that.

 

Sandra

 

 

 

Did the Royal suite in Feb and the whole experience was amazing. We have never had such treatment and will book the next Celeb this way again. Perks are to die for!![emoji12][emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stewartmamone1]

Did the Royal suite in Feb and the whole experience was amazing. We have never had such treatment and will book the next Celeb this way again. Perks are to die for!![emoji12][emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Amtrac,

 

Thanks for sharing. We will be on the Solstice in September and I cant wait. I personally have not been on the Solstice but while in Alaska the ship pulled up next to us and I fell in love from that moment:)

[stewartmamone1]

Midnight Blue

 

If you are still available can you share the amenities this Suite has. I'm asking because I wanted to verify that we have unlimited times in the specialty restaurants.

 

Sandra

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Not Midnight Blue but I can confirm that Royal Suite guests get unlimited specialty dining, with the possible exception of Sushi on 5.

 

Other perks: unlimited internet, free laundry - reports vary as to how much this entitles you to, premium beverage package, and more. Here's a link to the amenities from Celebrity.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/ships/celebrity-silhouette#Staterooms/ships/celebrity-silhouette/staterooms/stateroom-subtype-si-rs

[stewartmamone1]

Did the Royal suite in Feb and the whole experience was amazing. We have never had such treatment and will book the next Celeb this way again. Perks are to die for!![emoji12][emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Amtrac,

 

Hope all is well. While staying in the Royal Suite, can you confirm if you had unlimited access to all the specialty restaurants?

 

Sandra

[stewartmamone1]

Not Midnight Blue but I can confirm that Royal Suite guests get unlimited specialty dining, with the possible exception of Sushi on 5.

 

Other perks: unlimited internet, free laundry - reports vary as to how much this entitles you to, premium beverage package, and more. Here's a link to the amenities from Celebrity.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/ships/celebrity-silhouette#Staterooms/ships/celebrity-silhouette/staterooms/stateroom-subtype-si-rs

 

Chezmarylou,

 

Thanks a bunch. I will be leaving in 2 weeks and just checking to make sure this is included. Once again thanks for responding back so quickly. If you been on the Solstice before, can you share some secrets or tips? Is there a certain attire we have to where as well while eating for the specialty dinning restaurant.

 

 

 

Sandra

Edited August 14, 2016 by stewartmamone1

[docmark]

RS perks include SUSHI on 5,just did it last month,and enjoyed SUSHI on 5 several tims....unlimited!!

[stewartmamone1]

Docmark

 

Is there a dress code at the specialty restaurants

 

Sandra

[docmark]

No dress code as such,just use common sense!

 

By the way,we preferred specialty restaurants to Luminae,which I feel has room for improvement,specially more variety (selections) However Service at Luminae is very good.